Form construction for concrete floors



I June 23, 1931. 1- w 5 v 1,811,249

FORK CONSTRUCTION FOR CONCRETE FLOORS Filed April 26. 1929 2 sheeis-sheet 1 ww 93 Owl June 23, 1931. c. T. WHITESCARVER FORM CONSTRUCTION FOR CONCRETE FLOORS Filed April 20. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 23, 1931 U ITED" STATES PATENn OFFICE.

CHARLES '1. WHITESCARVER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL CLAMP (10., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS roam CONSTRUCTION r03. concnnrn FLOORS Application filed April 20,

This invention relates to improved-means for supporting and assembling concrete floor molds.

In building constructions, where concrete floorsare to be erected, it is customary to build a moldfor the lower surface of the floors and to: support :this mold either from the structuralsteel beams or upon shoring erected on the floor below. Flexible tie bands have been used extensively in suspending the floor forms; from the structural shapes.

It is, of course, preferable to suspend the fioor'mold from the structural beams in orderto leavethe 'floor below free from obstructions which impede the progress of the workmen.

I Moldsforconcrete floors generally comprise a plurality of substantially parallel channel sections, built around the structural beams, and intervening slab sectionswhich span the spaces between the beams. Heretofore, in the assembly of floor, molds 1t has been customary generally to support the beam sections and slab sections independently of one another. Such prior constructions required a large .amount of tie bands andclips for suspending the separate beam sections and slabsections from the structural shapes. 7 r 1 The main objects of this invention are to provide aform clamp having an improved rail adapted to span the space between adjacentbeams for supporting a plurality of mold sections; to provide improved cleats on said rail for, attachment to the tie bands and for clamping the side sections of the beam molds to the sofiit sections; to provide cleats of thiskind which are adjustable so as to accommodate beam molds of different widths; to provide improved fastening means for. clamping said cleatsto the tie bands and to said rail;.an d to provide an improved form clamp which is simple in construction and whereby the floor: forms may-bereadily assembled and dismantled. An illustrativeembodiment of this inventi on issh own in the accompanying drawin -s wherein; p M igure 1 is a fragmentary-plan. of a floor 1929. Serial No. 356,800.

mold to which improved clamps are applied;

some of the slab sections being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. I i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary-vertical section, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. 1 Fig. 4 is a vertical section of one of the clamps; the view being taken on the line 4 l of Fig. 3. ,7

In the form shown in the drawings, the apparatus is arranged .for casting a concrete floor made up of horizontal slabs-andsubstantially parallel beams in'which structural steel shapes 1 are embedded. In such a con-. struction, the bottom of thefloor slabs and the sides of the concretebeams are formed by means of slab molds 2 and channel-shaped beam molds 3, respectively. I 1 f 1 1 In the form sh0wn,'the slab-molds 2- are supported on the beam molds andcomprise planks 4t mounted on joists 5,.which are arranged on edgeand disposed transversely of the beams 1. g i

The beam molds 3 comprise theusual soffit sections .6 and side sections 7 arranged to formchannels surrounding the structural shapes 1. Mounted-onthe outer faces of Y the side sections 7 are the usual vertical battens 8, t0 which are securedkicker strips 9 extending longitudinally of the side sections 7. The. side sections 7 are spaced the required distancesfroni the structural beams 1 by means ,ofps'pacing clips 10 embracing the lower flanges ,of the beams.

Suspended from the structural beams 1, are flexible tie bands 11 which extend downwardly between the abutting'faces of the soflits ,6 and side sections 7 The upper ends ofthe tie bands 11 a'resecur'ed to the upper flanges of the beams 1'by'clips-12and the lowerends of the bands are detachably secured to thegimproved form clamps which support the mold sections. i i In the embodiment illustrated, each of the improved formiclamps comprises a rail 13, on which is adjustably mounted two pairs of cleats 14. I The rail13 preferably consists of a T-bar of greater lengththan the distance between two adjacent beams, so as to be adapted 0 "span {the intervening space and support the molds of both beams. The top flange of the T-rail 13 provides a flat bearing surface for the soflit sections 6, which are supported thereon directly below the structural beams 1.

In the form shown, each of the cleats 11 comprises a base 15, having a guide slot 16 of T-shaped cross section extending therethrough for receiving the rail 13. Also extending through the base 15, is a guideway 17 for receiving the flexible tie band 11. The guideway 17 communicates with the slot 16, so as to permit the band 11 to engage the top flange of the rail 13.

Threaded in the base part 15, is a set screw 18, which projects downwardly into the guideway 17 for clamping the cleat to the tie band and to the rail 13.

The top surface of the base 15 provides a substantially fiat shelf 19 for supporting the side sections 7, battens 8 and kicker strips 9 of the beam mold. A bracket 20 pro ects upwardly from the base 15 for en gagement with the outer face of the kicker strip. 7

To assemble a floor mold of this construction, the rails13 of the improved clamps are disposed in staggered relation to one another as illustrated in Fig. 1. Each of the rails 13 is suspended from the two adjacent beams 1 by only two tie bands 11, which are preferably secured to the two innercleats 14 of the clamp, V 7

After the mold sections 7 have been placed on the shelves 19 of the two inner cleats let of each clamp, the soflits 6 may be placed over the outer ends of the clamps and slid into position below the beams 1.

-When the 'soflits 6 have been positioned properly, the other mold sections 7 may be placed on the outer cleats 14 of the clamps so as to complete two adjacent beam molds. The outer cleats of'each clamp are preferably not attached to any tie bands. \Vhen the beam molds are assembled, the outer cleats 14 of the clamps are moved inwardly to press the side sections 7 against the sotfits 6 and the cleats are clamped in effective position by the set screws 18. After the beam molds have been assembled the slab molds 2 are constructed to span the intervening spaces.

f To dismantle a floor form of this improved. construction, the set screws 18 are loosened to release the cleats 14. When the cleats are released, the clamps and mold sections may be readily lowered. If. clesired,-the projecting portions of the tie bands may be cutoff flush with the concrete,

' Although but one specific'embodiment of this invention'has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of substantially parallel structural shapes spaced apart, a pair of flexible tie bands suspended from said structural shapes, of a form clamp comprising a rail spanning the space between said structural shapes, a pair of beam molds supported on said rail, and a plurality of cleats adjustably mounted on said rail and arranged in pairs for embracing said beam molds, one of said tie bands being secured to a cleat in one of said pairs, the other of said tie bands being secured to a cleat in the other of said pairs.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of substantially parallel structural shapes spaced apart, flexible tie bands suspended from said structural shapes, of a form clamp comprising a rail spanning the space between said structural shapes, soffit sections supported on said rail below said structural shapes, cleats mounted on said rail and adjustable longie tudinally thereof, side sections supported on said cleats and held thereby in abutting relation to said soflits, slab sections supported on said side sections, said cleats having guideways therein for receiving. said tie bands, and means on said cleats forclamping said cleats to said tie bands and to said rail.

3. A device of the class described comprising a rail adapted to support a mold section, tie elements, adapted to support said rail, a pair of cleats mounted on said rail and adjustable longitudinally thereof, said cleats having guideways extending therethrough for receiving the tie'elements, and means on said cleats for clamping said cleats to said tie elementsand to said rail.

4. A device of the class described comprising a rail adapted to support a mold section, tie elements" adapted to supportsaid rail, a pair of cleats mounted on said rail and adjustable longitudinally thereof, shelves on said cleats. adapted to support other mold sections, said cleats having guideways extending therethrough for receiving the tie elements, and means on said cleats for clamping said cleats to said tie elements and to said rail.

5. A device of the class described comprisinga T-rail adapted-to support mold sections, a" plurality of cleats slidably mounted on said rail and having guidway's extending therethrough longitudinally To'f aid rail, flexible tie bands extending through said guideways, shelves on said c'lea'ts for supporting other mold sections, and fastening means on saidcleats for clamping said cleats to said tie bands and "to said rail;

6. A device of "the class describedcomprising a rail adapted to support a mold section, a tie element for supporting said rail,

a. oleat mounted on said rail and adjustable longitudinally thereof, said cleat having a guideway therethrough for receiving said tie element, and means for clamping said cleat to said rail and to said tie element.

7. A device of the class described comprising a T-rail adapted to support a mold section, a oleat slidably mounted on said rail and having a guideway extending therethrough, a flexible tie band extending through said guideway, and a screw arranged to clamp said cleat to said tie element and to said rail.

Signed at Chicago this 13th day of April,

CHARLES T. WHITESCARVER. 

